Polymer brushes for friction control: Contributions of molecular simulations
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Published version
Author(s)
Abdelbar, Mohamed
Ewen, James
Dini, Daniele
Angioletti-Uberti, Stefano
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
When polymer chains are grafted to solid surfaces at sufficiently high density, they form brushes that can modify the surface properties. In particular, polymer brushes are increasingly being used to reduce friction in water-lubricated systems close to the very low levels found in natural systems, such as synovial joints. New types of polymer brush are continually being developed to improve with lower friction and adhesion, as well as higher load-bearing capacities. To complement experimental studies, molecular simulations are increasingly being used to help to understand how polymer brushes reduce friction. In this paper, we review how molecular simulations of polymer brush friction have progressed from very simple coarse-grained models toward more detailed models that can capture the effects of brush topology and chemistry as well as electrostatic interactions for polyelectrolyte brushes. We pay particular attention to studies that have attempted to match experimental friction data of polymer brush bilayers to results obtained using molecular simulations. We also critically look at the remaining challenges and key limitations to overcome and propose future modifications that could potentially improve agreement with experimental studies, thus enabling molecular simulations to be used predictively to modify the brush structure for optimal friction reduction.
Date Issued
2023-01-01
Date Acceptance
2022-12-14
Citation
Biointerphases, 2023, 18 (1)
ISSN
1934-8630
Publisher
AVS: Science and Technology of Materials, Interfaces and Processing
Journal / Book Title
Biointerphases
Volume
18
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2023 Author(s). All article content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 010801
Date Publish Online
2023-01-18